Car brake



Dec, 3, 1946.

L. G. MILLER ET AL CAR BRAKE Filed May 12, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet l 93, 1945- I L. G. MILLER ETAL CAR BRAKE Fi led May 12, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 21 If? Louislr azzerzzszazzen F 1946p 1.. G. MILLER ET AL CAB BRAKE Filed May 12, 1943 141 1 X6, 12 .10. E I

. u un 4 Sheets-Sheet '4 'or' other material. I capacitycars, it has been found impossible to sharp curves occurring inthe mines.

Patented Dec. 1 946 V RATE Q C CAR BRAKE Louis G. Miller and Walter Static-r, Bethlehem, Pa., assignors to Bethlehem Steel Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 12,

9 Claims. 1

'This invention relates to brakes for trucks used .with industrial cars generally and in particular to mine carSof the large capacity type carried on a plurality of'independ'ent trucks;

"Due to'the modern trend 'toward mechanized mining and long hauls from loading to unloadpoints, it has become necessary for economical operation toutilize large capacity cars carrying in the neighborhood of ten tons or more of coal In attempting to build large merely'enlarge the presenttype of car, for to do so produces an unwieldy car of excessive weight and a car which isincapable of negotiating the It is an object, therefore, of the present invention to provide a brake'for atruck'for large capacity cars of this'type with independent trucks at eachiend of the car.

. alt is therefore a primary object ofv this invention to provide for vehicles and particularly. for mine cars, a braking mechanism which will be, simple of construction," easy andtsafe of operation and positive in its action in applying thebrakin force to each wheel. i

Another object of our invention is to equally distribute the braking force to all the wheels in the truck. v I

. Afurther object of our invention relates to the manner of oflsetting the ends of the brake beam and connectin'g-thebrakelevers, and brake shoes as is the usual practice. I

. With the foregoing and other objects ineview,

the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Having thus givena general description of the objects of our invention, we will now in order to make the same more'clear, refer to the accompanying four sheets of drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like characters of reference indicate like parts. Y I

Figure l is a top plan view of a truck witho'ur improved brake mechanism applied thereto illustrating the application of our invention. I Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the truck and brake mechanism show n in Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4. 1

'Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section taken'on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.- I r Fi'gj5 illustrates a horizontallyinclinedoperof the car which is indicated in dotted lines;

1943, Serial No. 486,628

'Fig. 6 is-a detail view of the brake equalizer bar and connecting parts adjacent thereto.

Fig. 7 isa detail section taken on the line "l- 1 of l figifi. Fig.8 is adetail-section taken on the line 88 oflFig. 6.- i y g 7 Fig. 9' is a detail showing the clevis connection and. adjacent parts at one end of the operating lever.

Fig. '10' illustrates a modified form of operating lever of bell crank shapepivoted to the end-of the car. p

Fig. 11 is a detail section taken on the line ll-ll of Fig. 10, and Fig. 1'2'is a detail section taken'on the line |2--|2 of'Figilll.

-Referring to the'accompanying drawings and first to Figs. l-to 9 inclusive the two side frames -'of"the truck, which'are of similar construction,

ar'eforrnedof rolled plate sections cut-in the desired-shape and welded together. Each consists of a pressed Z-shapedsid'e frame member l'of considerable depth having a vertical web' 2 with the top'flange 3 'extending outwardlyand the bottom flange 4, inwardly and parallel with the top flange 3 throughout its length. The bottom flanges 4 of the two side frames support the ends of a centrallydisposed spring plank 5 of channel shape and connects the side frame members together at this point. f

The lower portion of the ends of each z shaped side'frame member is cut away asat 6 and the web 2 recesse'd'as at 1. Each recess is adapted to receive an inverted U-shaped bearing box 8 for the axles 9, These inverted U-shaped bearing 5 boxes 8 have one leg I ll longer than the other and are welded to the web 2 and thebottom flange 4 of the side frame and are adapted to straddle the axles 9 andtie the ends ofthe side frames'and axles together and transmit the load to the axles. These bearing boxes 8 each havea bottom tie plate ll welded to the legs so that in case of derailment the axles'will not become disengaged from the side frame. Each bearing box 8 and web 2- of the side frames are further reinforced by means of vertical and longitudinally extending plates I2 and [3 respectively.

Adjacent to the center of each side frame vertically inwardly'extending plate members l4 are 3 the ends of the bolster and are further provided with wear plates I? for this purpose.

As shown in Fig. 2 the axles 9 are adapted to have a slight vertical movement in the bearing boxes 8 and the wheels I 8 are mounted on the ends of the axles at the outer sides of the side frames as indicated in Fig. 1.

The brake beams -|9 each consisting of round bar having.theiriends'ofiset as at'ZUand extending through elongated openings 2| in the webs of the side frame members and to allow clearance for the horizontal movement of the brake beams the vertically inwardly extending plates I4 are cut out as at 22, and the horizontally longitu die V nally extending stiifening.plates, l3; prevent ,te' brake beams l9 from turning.

The offset ends of the brake beams H! ex tend beyond the outer sides of" truck frame members and are pivotally connected directly to the brake levers and brake shoes.

It will beunderstood that the linkage associated therewith is similar on each side of the truck and a description of one set will apply to both. The brake shoes 23 are pivotally secured on; the ends of the'brake beams and arefurther supported by means of brake hanger links,

which are pivoted at their lower ends as at 25'to thebrake shoes and have their upper ends pivoted as at 26 to L-shaped brackets 21 which are welded tothe top flange 3 of the sideframe memyber The ends-of each of the brake beams are also provided with a washer 28 and cotter-pin 29 for retaining the brake shoes in position.

, "The live and dead brake levers 3|] and 3 respectively are held spaced relation with the brake shoes 23 by sleeves 32 and the web 2 of the side frame members lby means of sleeves 33. A link 34'having a .U-shaped end 35, is-pivoted by means of a pin 136 to,;the upper end, of the dead brake :lever 3|, whilethe opposite straight end of said link 34 is attached to a pivotal bracket 31 which is secured to the web 2 of the side frame I. Thelow'erends of the live and dead brake levers are jconnectedtogether by means of a coupling bar, v38 whichis pivotally attached thereto. .clevis '39 is pivoted to the'upper end of the live' bral e -lever. ,30 which is pivoted-t one endof a brake I equalizer bar 49. This brake equalizer bar extends through slots 4| in thewebs 2 of the side framesqand has its opposite end pivotedin a similar manner to the top of the livebrake lever. on the ppposit side of the truck, and this brake equalizer bar is further supported on wear plates 42secured to the webs 2 of the side frames adjacent to the slots 4|. The central portion of the brake equalizer bar 48 is formed with an arcshaped track 43 engaged by a roller 44 mounted between the ends of a pair of links 45 forming pullrod, said pair of links having their opposite ends pivoted tothe intermediate portion of a swinging lever 48 which is pivoted at its inner end asat ll to a U-shapedbracket 48 connected to the car underframe, while the outer end of the swinginglever 4 5 is formedwith a hook 49 -to engagea guide'plate 56 which is also attached to the car underirame; One end .of chain 5| pivotally attached as at 5'6 to a horizontally inclined operating-lever 51. This operating lever 51 is p v t d oit enar nd a at andiis pro.-

handle 62. of. the lever andiimanually' raises it slightly and then moves it laterally to clear the rivet head or until it engages the keeper 63 and then swings said lever downwardly until it as- "sumes the position indicated in dotted lines. When the brakes are set the spring 54 will be extendedwhereby the brake shoes will be held resiliently in contact'with the treads of the wheels.

In Figs. 10 to 12 inclusive we have shown a modified form of operating lever 64 of bell crank shape pivotally attached to the end of the car as at 65, having a tooth 66 for engaging a rack 61.

In this construction we have used an additional guide sheave .68 for the chain 5|. In this modification the braking force will be applied horizontally on the operating lever which might be preferred in some cases, insteadof vertically as indicated in Fig. 5, otherwise the operation is substantially the same as described for Figs. l-to 9 inclusive, and the same reference numerals will apply; thereto.

Although we have shown and described our invention in considerable detail, we do not wish to be limited to the exact'and specific details shown and described, but may use such substitutions, modifications or equivalents thereof, as

are embraced within the scope of our invention or as are pointed out in the claims.

Having thus described our invention what we .claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a brake rigging for railway car trucks having side frames and two pairs of wheels, a brake beam at one side of each pair of wheels extending through and supported by said side frames, a brake lever and brake shoe having their central portions mounted directly on each extending end of the brake beams at opposite outer sides of the truck frame, means for directly connecting the lower ends of the brake levers together on each outer side of the truck frame, and means connected to the upper end of one pair of brake levers for actuating the brake levers.

2. In a brake rigging for railwa car trucks having side frames and two pairs of wheels, a brake beam'disposed adjacent to the inner side of each pair of wheels extending through and supported by said side frames, a brake lever and brake shoe having their central portions pivotally mounted directly on each extending end of the brake beams at opposite outer sides of the truck frame, a coupling bar directly connecting the lower ends of'the brake levers together on each outer side of the truck frame, and means connected to the upper end of one of the brake levers on each side of the truck for actuating the truck on each extendingend of the brake beams adjacent to the outer surface of the side frame members, and an equalizer bar pivoted to and connectingthe upper ends of a pair of brake levers brake beams having their endsextending through the sides of the truck frame and disposed adjacent to the inner side of each pair of wheels, a dead brake lever pivoted centrally directly on each extending end portion of one of the brake beams on each outer side of the truck, a live brake lever pivoted centrally directly on each extending end portion of the other brake beam on each outer side of the truck, a bar directly connecting the lower ends of the dead and live brake levers on each outer side of the truck, a pivotal connection between the top end of each dead lever and the truck frame, a brake equalizer bar extending through the truck side frames and supported therein having an are shaped track connecting the top ends of the live brake levers, a pull rod having a roller mounted at one end for engaging the are shaped track of the brake equalizer bar, a swinging lever pivotally attached to the other end of the pull rod, and an operating lever having a flexible connection with the swinging lever for actuating the brake mechanism.

5. In a railwa brake, a truck sideframe at each side of the truck, two pairs of wheels mounted adjacent to the outer side of the truck side frames, a brake beam extending through the side frames 'disposed adjacent to the inner side of each pair ofwheels, a dead brake lever and a brake shoe mounted directly on the extending end portions of one of the brake beams outside the truck frame, a live brake lever and brake shoe mounted directly on the extending end poroted centrally in spaced relation to each other directly on the offset extending end portions of one brake beam adjacent to the outer faces of the side frames, a live brake lever and a brake shoe pivoted centrally in spaced relation directly on the offset extending end portions of the other brake beam, a bar pivotally attached to the lower ends of the dead and live brake levers on each outer side of the truck for connecting said brake levers together, a link pivotally connected to the top end of each dead brake lever and the other end to the truck frame, a brake equalizer bar extending through the side frame and supported therein connecting the top ends of the live truck levers together, an operating lever for actuating the brake mechanism, a flexible connection between the operating lever and the brake equalizer bar, a sheave for guiding the flexible connection, and resilient means interposed between the flexible connection and the operating lever.

8. In a brake rigging for railway car trucks having side frames and two pairs of wheels, a brake beam mounted adjacent to the inner side of each pair of wheels, said brake beams having gether on each outer side of the truck frame, an

equalizer bar mounted between the pairs of wheels having its ends extending through slots in the side frame and supported therein, clevis members connecting the ends of the equalizer with a pair of brake levers, and means connected to tions of the other brake beam outside the truck the equalizer bar for actuating the brakemechanism.

9, In a brake rigging for railway car trucks having side frames and two pairs of wheels, a

brake beam mounted adjacent to the inner side the brake equalizer bar for actuating the brake mechanism.

6. In a brake rigging for railway car trucks having side frames and two pairs of wheels, a brake beam extending through and supported by the side frames disposed adjacent to the inner side of each pair of wheels. a dead and live brake lever mounted centrally directly on the extending ends of the brake bea-rns at each outer side of the truck frame, means for directly connecting the- .7. In a brake rigging for railway car, trucks v having side frames and two pairs of wheels, a brake beam extending through and supported by the side frames havingofisetend portions disposed adjacent to the inner side of each pair of wheels, a dead brake lever and a brake shoe pivof each pair of wheels, said brake beams having their end portions extending through and supported by the side frames, a dead brake lever and i a brake shoe head having their centralportions pivotally mounted directly on each extending end portion of one brake beam at the opposite outer sides of the truck frame, a live brake lever and a brake shoe head having their central portions pivotally mounted directly on each extending end portion of the other brake beam at the opposite outer sides of the truck frame, a bar for connecting the lower ends of the dead and live brake levers together on each outer side of the truck frame, a pivoted link connection between the top of each dead truck lever and the outer side of the truck frame, an equalizer bar mounted between the pairs of wheels having its ends extending through slots in the side frame and supported therein, 'clevis members connecting the ends of the equalizer bar with the pair of live truck levers, an operating lever for actuating the brake mechanism, a flexible connection between the operating, lever and the brake equalizer bar, a sheave for guiding the flexible connection, and

resilient means interposed between the flexible connection and the operating lever.

LOUIS G. MILLER. WALTER H. STA'ILER. 

